Centrifugal governor



Sept. 21, 1937. u. QUINTAVALLE 2,093,736

CENTRIFUGAL GOVERNOR Filed July 14, 1956 J FE Patented Sept. 21, 1937 CENTRIFUGAL GOVERNOR Umberto Quintavalle, Milan, Italy, assignor to Fabbrica Italians, Magneti Morelli Soc. An., Milan, Italy, a corporation of Italy Application July 14, 1936, Serial No. 90,607 In Italy July 22, 1935 9 Claims.

This invention relates to centrifugal governors adapted to control the ignition advance in internal combustion engines and for other appliances and it relates more particularly to the governors of the kind in which each centrifugal mass consists of a number of sections and a set of said sections act directly on the governor controlled member while the other sections have a lost motion cooperation with said directly-acting sec- 1 tions and are arranged to become progressively inoperative in the course of the governor operation.

The present invention has for its object a centrifugal governor of the above stated class in which the sections of each centrifugal mass are all pivoted around a single pivot axis and each of said sections adapted to operate directly on the governed member is engaged therewith positively and reversibly that is in both angular directions, such engagement being preferably made by means of a toothed quadrant of a mass section meshing with a toothed portion of said governed member.

By the above outlined arrangement a progressive operation of the sectioned masses is secured and at the same time the construction and operation of each centrifugal mass are made very simple in View of the mounting of the whole sections of each separate mass on a single pivot.

Further the positive engagement of each centrifugal mass in both angular directions with the controlled member causes the operation to occur always under the same conditions and in the most eflicient manner.

An embodiment of this invention is illustrated by Way of example on the annexed drawing and Figure 1 is a central section on line Il of Fig. 2 with some portions removed,

Figure 2 is a section of the governor along a plane perpendicular to its axis, the said section being made on line 2 of Fig. 1 in its right hand half portion and on line 2 of Fig. 1 in its left hand portion,

Figure 3 is a separate plan View of one of the mass sections which are positively engaged with said governor controlled member,

Figure 4 is a separate plan view of one of the lost motion operative mass sections,

Figure 5 is a separate plan view of another of said lost motion operative mass sections, and

Figure 6 is a separate plan view of a locking mass section.

The governor includes a cylindrical casing I fast with a driving or driven member 2.

3 is a shaft, respectively a driven or driving one,

which is aligned with casing I and has a toothed pinion i integral therewith and positioned within said casing I.

Each centrifugal mass consists of a number of sections 6, l, 8 located adjacent to and alternat- 5 ing with each other and is pivoted on a pivot stud 5 fast with the casing I and parallel with the rotary governor axis.

The sections 5, l, 8 are provided with a hole 9 for their pivotal mounting on the respective pivot 10 5 and they have similar shapes, as illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5, their respective essential difference being in their weight in order to secure as a progressive operation as possible.

The section Ii having the smallest weight (Fig- 15 ure 3) includes a toothed quadrant 6 which is in mesh with the teeth of the pinion 4; said section 6 has further a hole i0 through which a pin I! intended to interconnect all the sections 6 comprising the mass extends.

The section l (Fig. 4) having a larger weight has no toothed quadrant and in register with the hole IQ of sections 6 and accordingly in regl ister with the location of pin H in the mass, said section has an arc-shaped slot I2 the centre 25 of said arc-shaped slot lying in the centre of hole 9; said slot it has an angular extent sufiicient to provide a free deviation of sections 6 and pin H through a certain angle with respect to sections 7.

Finally the section 8 has a further heavier weight (Fig. 5) and it is similar to section 1 it i having however an arc-shaped slot I3 whose angular extent is larger than that of slot I2 of section 1.

Sections of different classes as above described are alternating with each other in each mass, the arrangement being such as each section 6 having a toothed quadrant 6 in mesh with pinion 4 is located intermediate two toothless 40 sections as I or 8.

It is to be understood that a single class of toothless sections either as l or as 8 may be used, instead of embodying two difierent classes of sections deprived of teeth in mesh with pinion 4.

Each centrifugal mass includes a further section I4 located adjacent the assembly of sections 6, I and 8 (Fig. 6); said section It is loose on pivot stud 5 and beyond the range of the pin II assembling in the above described manner the several sections of the mass.

The section I 4 has a locking nose I4 adapted to engage either of the recesses intermediate teeth of pinion 4 as well as a finger I4" acted on by a blade spring l5 which is engaged anguhalf in Fig. 2.

larly with pivot stud 5 and acts to move the section [4 into its position in which the nose l4 thereof is engaged with teeth of pinion 4.

The cylindrical wall of the casing I is provided with an annular lining I6 of soft material as rubber, adapted to damp the impact of parts 6, l, 8, [4 when they are completing their outward stroke under the action of centrifugal force. Of course any other appropriate impact-damping means may be substituted for such a rubber lining.

In inoperative conditions the sections 6, I, 8 of each mass are close to the rotary axis of the governor and the ends of the slots [2 and I3 of sections 1 and 8nearest to the line connecting the axes of pivot pin 5 and of the shaft 3 are in, contact with the pin II of the set of sections 6.

When the governor has taken a predetermined rotary speed the locking section I4 under centrifugal force spreads outwardly against action of spring I5 and removes its nose M from engagement with teeth of pinion 4 and permits for the governor operation.

During the outward radial displacement of parts 6, I, 8, under the action of centrifugal force, each of sections 6 acts by its teeth 6' on teeth of pinion 4 to cause the required angular displacement between the driving member and the driven one, while sections l and 8 act in similar manner through the medium of the sections 6 because the ends of their slots i2 and I3 act on the pin ll fast with the operative sections 6 of the same mass.

At the time the speed and centrifugal force have a certain value the sections 8 abut on the soft lining i6 of the cylindrical wall of the easing l or generally on the stop means restricting their outward deviation and consequently said sections 8 are not longer operative on the pin H and pinion 4; when a higher speed is reached sections 7 are similarly made inoperative the pinion 4 being thus driven only by the sections 6 when further higher speeds are obtained; finally also said sections '6 abut against the lining 56 of the casing l as. shown in the right hand Thus a progressive action of the several sections 6, 1, 8 of the masses is secured, and any predetermined rate of respective angular motion of parts 3 and 2 with increase of the speed of the driving member may be secured.

said sections progressively approach the axis of rotation of the governor and shift sections 1 and 3 in sequence with them.

Assuming that shaft 3 is the driving shaft and that it rotates counter-clockwise as seen in Fig. 2, when it is trailing with respect to driven member, the positive interengagement in both directions of the pinion 4 and mass sections 6 causes the motion of said sections towards the soft lining it until said sections 6 abut on said lining after the frictional resistance opposed to them by the sections 1 and 8 has been overcome, and consequently any impact and noise as could arise during the governor operation is prevented;

The frictional resistance against the motion of sections 6 may be increased by providing resilient means which force the several sections of each mass in frictional contact with each other. For such a purpose springs [5 may be availed of by giving them a proper bias both in angular direction around pivot stud 5 and in the inward longitudinal direction with respect to said stud; otherwise such springs may include an arm acting on lug I4" of section [4 and an underlying portion coiled around said pivot stud to force the mass sections in contact with each other, said spring extending through a transverse hole of stud 5.

The locking members [4 are intended to prevent the governor operation before the rotary speed has taken a defined speed under which an erratic operation could develop.

When the speed comes down under such a defined speed the sections M are moved by their springs l5 in their operative position to look again casing l with pinion 4 and consequently the driven member with the driving one.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A centrifugal governor for controlling the respective angular position of two aligned rotary members comprising a pivot fast on one of said rotary members and extending parallel with the axis of rotation thereof, centrifugal force responsive mass sections pivoted on said pivot, a toothed quadrant on at least one of said mass sections and a cooperating toothed part on the other one of said rotary members, cooperating lost motion interconnecting means in said mass sections, and means for limiting the outward deviation of all said mass sections.

2. A centrifugal governor for controlling the respective angular position of two aligned rotary members comprising a pivot fast on one of said members and extending parallel with the axis of rotation thereof, centrifugal force responsive mass sections pivoted on said pivot, engaging means on at least one of said mass sections and on the other one of said rotary members, said engaging means cooperating positively with each other in both angular directions, others of said mass sections having each an arc-shaped slot concentric with said pivot, said slots having different angular extents in the different ones of said second named mass sections, a pin projecting from said first named mass section and engaging said slots of said other mass sections with angular lost motion, and means for limiting the outer deviation of all said mass sections.

3. A centrifugal governor for controlling the respective angular position of two aligned rotary members comprising a pivot fast on one of said members and extending parallel with the axis of rotation thereof, centrifugal force responsive mass sections pivoted on said pivot, engaging means on at least one of said mass sections and on the other one of said rotary members, said engaging means cooperating positively with each other in both angular directions, cooperating lost motion interconnecting means in said mass sections, spring means forcing said mass sections tions, a further mass section pivoted on the same pivot as other mass sections and loose with respect to all said mass sections, means on said loose mass section for releasably engaging the said second named one of said rotary members, means for holding said loose mass section in engaging position until the angular speed of said rotary members has reached a minimum predetermined value, and means for limiting the outward deviation of all said mass sections.

5. A centrifugal governor for controlling the respective angular position of two concentric rotary members, one of said members being in the form of a cylindrical housing, comprising a pivot fast in said housing member and extending parallel with the axis of rotation thereof, centrifugal force responsive mass sections pivoted on said pivot, engaging means on at least one of said mass sections and on the other one of said rotary members, said engaging means cooperating positively with each other in both angular directions, cooperating lost motions interconnecting means in said mass sections, and a soft lining on the inside of the cylindrical wall of said housing member for limiting the outward deviation of all said mass sections.

6. A centrifugal governor for controlling the respective angular position of two aligned rotary members comprising a pivot fast on one of said members and extending parallel with the axis of rotation thereof, centrifugal force responsive mass sections pivoted on said pivot, engaging means on each of a number of said mass sections and on the other one of said rotary members, said engaging means cooperating positively with each other in both angular directions, a pin interconnecting said mass sections having engaging means, others of said mass sections having each an arc-shaped slot concentric with said pivot, said mass sections having engaging means and said mass sections having arc-shape slots being adjacent to and alternating with each other and said pin extending through all said slots, a further mass section pivoted on said pivot and loose with respect to all said mass sections, means on said loose mass section for releasably engaging said engaging means of the second named one of said rotary members, means for holding said loose mass section with its engaging means in engaging position until the angular speed of said members has reached a minimum predetermined value, and soft means for limiting the outward deviation of all said mass sections.

'7. A centrifugal governor for controlling the respective angular position of two aligned rotary members comprising a pivot fast on one of said members and extending parallel with the axis of rotation thereof, centrifugal force responsive mass sections pivoted on said pivot, engaging means on each of a number of said mass sections and on the other one of said rotary members, said engaging means cooperating positively with each other in both angular directions, a pin interconnecting said mass sections having engaging means, others of said mass sections having each an arc-shaped slot concentric with said pivot and said slots having different angular extents in several sets of last named mass sections, said mass sections having engaging means and said mass sections having arc-shaped slots being adjacent to and alternating with each other and said pin extending through all said slots, a further mass section pivoted on said pivot and loose with respect to all said mass sections, a nose on said loose mass section for releasably engaging said engaging means of the second named one of said rotary members, spring means for holding said loose mass section with its nose in engaging position until the angular speed of said members has reached a minimum predetermined value, and soft means for limiting the outward deviation of all said mass sections.

8. A centrifugal governor for controlling the respective angular position of two aligned rotary members comprising a pivot fast on one of said members and extending parallel with the axis of rotation thereof, centrifugal force responsive mass sections pivoted on said pivot, a toothed quadrant on each of a number of said mass sections, teeth on the other one of said rotary members and in mesh with said mass section quadrants, a pin interconnecting said toothed quadrant mass sections, others of said mass sections having each an arc-shaped slot concentric with said pivot and said slots having different angular extents in several sets of last named mass sections, said toothed quadrant mass sections and said arcslotted mass sections being adjacent to and alternating with each other and said pin extending through all said slots, a further mass section pivoted on said pivot and loose with respect to all said mass sections, a nose on said loose mass section for releasably engaging said teeth of the second named one of said members, spring means for holding said loose mass section with its nose in engaging position until the angular speed of said members has reached a minimum predetermined value, and soft means for limiting the outward deviation of all said mass sections.

9. A centrifugal governor for controlling the respective angular position of two aligned rotary members comprising a pivot fast on one of said members and extending parallel with the axis of rotation thereof, centrifugal force responsive mass sections pivoted on said pivot, a toothed quadrant on each of a number of said mass sections, teeth on the other one of said rotary members and in mesh with said mass section quadrants, a pin interconnecting said toothed quadrant mass sections, others of said mass sections having each an arc-shaped slot concentric with said pivot and said slots having different angular extents in several sets of last named mass sections, said toothed quadrant mass sections and said arcslotted mass sections being adjacent to and a1- ternating with each other and said pin extending through all said slots, spring means forcing said mass sections in frictional engagement with each other, a further mass section pivoted on said pivot and loose with respect to all said mass sections, a nose on said loose mass section for releasably engaging said teeth of the second named one of said members, spring means for holding said loose mass section with its nose in engaging position until the angular speed of said members has reached a minimum predetermined value, and soft means for limiting the outward deviations of all said mass sections.

UMBERTO QUINTAVALLE.

7 Patent No. 2,095,756.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

UMBERTO QUINTAVALLE.'-

t is herehy certified that the name of the assign ea in-the 'ab ove numbered patent was erroneously wi'ititen anti pfainfiecias "Fabhrica Italiana 'Magneti Morelli socgAn." whereas said name should have been written and printed'as Fabbrica Italiana Magne-ti harelli Sect-An; of Milan,

Ittly, acorp'oratibn of Italj, as shown by the record of asignments in this office; and that the aid; Letters Patent s hould'be-read with this correctlg'n therein that the seine may conform to the record 6f the case in-the Patent Office.

si ned m sealed. this "21st da efJDec'ember; A. 1)., 1 1957;

Hehi'y Van Azsdale (Seal) Acting Commie sioner 0f Patents c geptember 19 57 

